The invention relates generally to a tester for storage devices, and more specifically to an apparatus with self-contained test capability that is operable to test multiple disc drives.
Computer systems commonly utilize hard disc drives as a nonvolatile way to store data. A disc drive is favored for such tasks because it has a high capacity for data, is inexpensive relative to many other storage devices, and is relatively fast when compared to other large and inexpensive data storage devices (such as tape drives). Hard drives also are rewritablexe2x80x94data written to a hard drive may be overwritten or erased, unlike many competing data storage media such as Compact Disc-Recordable (CD-R) devices.
Disc drives usually include one or more discs that are rotated, an actuator that moves a transducer to various locations over the disc surface, and electronic circuitry that processes data to be written to the disc surface. The electrical circuitry also includes control circuitry that controls the operation of the disc drive, and passes information between the disc drive transducer and the computer.
The transducer is typically an electromagnetic transducer housed within a small ceramic block. The transducer assembly is passed over the disc as the disc rotates, and is actuated by magnetic patterns stored on the disc. The transducer assembly encounters high air speeds as a result of the spinning disc, and is typically aerodynamically designed so that it flies over the surface of a spinning disc. The distance between a transducer assembly and a spinning disc in operation can be very small, and currently is typically 1-2 microinches. Alternatively, the transducer assembly may pass through a layer of lubricant, traveling at a similar height over the disc surface.
Information representative of the stored data is encoded on the surface of the disc. The transducers, which incorporate read and write heads, read and write the stored information on the disc when the disc head is accurately positioned over a designated track area of the disc. As the disc spins, the transducer is moved to the correct track by a suspension mechanism that supports the transducer above the disc surface. The suspension mechanism also moves the transducer radially, between the inner and outer portions of the disc, to enable reading and writing to multiple tracks on the disc. Because the transducer must be accurately positioned in very close proximity to the disc to read or write information, much research is done on the characteristics of the transducer-disc interface.
The close tolerances necessary in production of state of the art disc drives contribute to occasional disc drive failure. These drive failures may be due to faulty components, to components or assembly that do not meet engineering specifications, or due to wear or other damage that occurs as a result of drive use or abuse. Because many of these failures occur in drives that have been shipped to customers, manufacturers of disc drives often receive shipments of drives suspected of failure from their customers that have been replaced under warranty with new disc drives.
But, because apparent drive failure may be the result of customer misconfiguration or incompatibility as well as actual drive failure, manufacturers of disc drives typically receive a substantial number of returned disc drives that do not have any evident hardware defect. Computer manufacturers usually do not have the capability to thoroughly test returned disc drives, and so replacement drives are shipped to the customer and the presumed defective drives are returned to the manufacturer. For every drive that is returned to the manufacturer that is not faulty, the disc drive manufacturer incurs the expense of providing a replacement drive to the customer via the computer manufacturer in addition to the expense associated with shipping and testing the presumed defective and replacement drives. But, because the equipment needed to thoroughly test disc drives is often specialized, expensive, and complex, it is not usually practical to provide such equipment to even the largest disc drive customers.
What is needed is a testing method and apparatus that will provide economical and efficient testing of returned drives so that only the truly defective drives are returned to the manufacturer.
The present invention provides an on-site tester, designed to test multiple disc drives at a location remote from the disc drive manufacturer. The tester performs tests essentially similar to those performed by the manufacturer, and so is capable of accurately diagnosing disc drive problems without requiring the return of suspected defective disc drives to the manufacturer.
A tester is attached to a local computer, which controls operation of the tester and communicates test results to other computers, such as through a network connection. The computers in one version of the invention are networked to manufacturer computers that track and record the results of disc drive tests performed at remote locations.
The tester is capable of regulating power supplied to the disc drives under test, and of regulating the temperature within the tester. Each bay of the tester may be configured to support a different disc drive interface, and a drive initiator card attached to each bay supports the disc drive interface formats needed for the various possible bay configurations.
In a version of the invention, a disc drive test apparatus includes a number of bays in a tester which are capable of physically receiving one or more disc drives for testing. The test apparatus also includes one or more drive initiator cards in the tester which physically connect to each bay. The initiator cards can be connected to disc drives to test the disc drives inserted in each bay. A local computer is connected to the tester. The local computer can control the operation of the tester and communicate results of the tests via a network to remote networked computers.
In another version of the invention, a method of testing one or more disc drives is practiced. The method includes the steps of inserting one or more disc drives into one or more bays of a tester and initiating a testing of the one or more disc drives by providing instructions to the tester via a local computer connected to the tester. Results of the tests are provided from the tester to the connected local computer. The results of the tests from the local computer are sent to a remote networked computer.
In another embodiment, a disc drive test apparatus includes bays in a tester capable of physically receiving disc drives for test. Drive initiator cards in the tester are physically connected to each bay and capable of electrically connecting to and communicating with disc drives for test which are inserted in each bay. A controller card is coupled with the drive initiator cards and a local computer. The local computer is connected to the tester. The local computer controls the operation of the tester and communicates results of the tests via a network to remote networked computers.
In yet another version of the invention, a disc drive test apparatus includes a number of bays in a tester that receives disc drives for test. Also included are a number of drive initiator cards in the tester, so that one drive initiator card is physically connected to each bay and is capable of electrically connecting to and communicating with a disc drive inserted in the connected bay for test. A controller card is connected with each of the drive initiator cards and with a local computer. A fan regulates the temperature of the drives under test. A connector provides serial attachment of one or more secondary testers, such that the secondary testers are connected to the tester. A local computer is connected to the tester. The local computer controls the operation of the tester and any secondary testers attached to the tester and communicates results of the tests via a network to remote networked computers.